Dorothy Pinto, PhD, MSc, BA (Honours)

Area of Study / Keywords

Research Impact Research Impact Assessment

About

Dr Pinto is a proud graduate of the University of Alberta, completing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Science degrees in Linguistics, and her PhD in Measurement, Evaluation and Cognition in Educational Psychology. Her doctoral research utilized a grounded theory approach to develop a communication theory to inform practice in systems change initiatives in the public sector. From the beginning of her training in the Department of Linguistics, faculty members instilled in her a deep appreciation for the potential impacts of research (positive and negative) on the communities we serve. The desire to use research approaches and methods to benefit communities and achieve real world impact has driven Dr Pinto’s research interests and subsequent work as an evaluator. Since 2018, she has been a Director of Avens Evaluation Group Ltd, a consulting firm that offers monitoring and evaluation, assessment, strategic planning, and training services across various sectors, including health, education, and nonprofits. Prior to that, Dorothy worked as a Health Research Impact Evaluator at Alberta Innovates. In this role, she gained extensive experience in the implementation of research impact frameworks as well as in engaging researchers and decision makers to build capacity in assessing and communicating research impact.

In the new role of Performance Assessment Officer, Dr. Pinto will support the development of the Institutional Research Impact Framework (IRIF) for the University of Alberta. Dr. Pinto will also develop and implement formalized research impact assessments to track the impacts of research, innovation, and creative activity both within and beyond the university in alignment with SHAPE and Forward with Purpose.